19 June 2017

Messy Church gets scientific

Messy Church does Science is designed to show children that science is welcome in church.

New resources exploring big thinking and big questions have been produced with support from Scientists in Congregations.

Lucy Moore, founder of Messy Church, said: "Messy Churches are hot on discovery, experimentation and exploration; could we encourage even more Messy Church groups to feel confident about using science in the activity time, so that families would understand that the Church celebrates science and rejoices in it?

"Our dream is that in ten years' time nobody will be saying 'science and faith don't mix' but instead it will be common to hear, 'I had my first experience of science being fun at my local church.'"

Messy Church does Science aims to demonstrate that faith and science are complementary, while helping children and adults explore the wonder of creation.

The project hopes to equip Messy Church leaders to do experiments with their congregations and to be confident to share scientific principles along with a biblical theme.

The Messy Church Does Science book features 100 fun and eye-opening experiments graded for mess, danger and difficulty.

The project has been developed with Rev Dr David Gregory, senior minister of Croxley Green Baptist Church, who leads a Messy Church Science Lab as a part of a monthly Messy Church under the guise of 'Dr Dave'. He has a background in physics, astronomy, meteorology and climate.

It's estimated that more than 500,000 people attend the 3,735 registered Messy Church events around the world each month.

More than half of those who attend Messy Church have had little or no previous connection church.

Messy Church is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF) and is designed to reach people of all ages who have little contact with church before.